Sprocket-wheel



No. 524,830. Patented Aug. 21, 1,894,

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(No Model.)

No. 524,830. ljatentesd Aug. 21, 1894.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

LBeeoJr. SPROGKET WHEBL.-

No. 524,830. Patented Aug.` 21, 18,94.

Patented Aug. 21,1894.

W; A.` LEGGI); Jr. SPROGKET WHEEL ma Model.)

, Y n 4 w UNITED STATES.

``lvl-frifrfI-NT CFI-fron.

sPRoc'KE'r-VIHEen..V

` sPEcIFIcA'rIoNrorming part of Letters Patent No. 524,830, dated Atgust 21, 1894.

Application filed November 27, 1893. Serial No. 492,067. (No Inodelf) l i To all whom t may concern:

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM A. Lncoo, Jr.,

a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, re-

siding at Hartsdale, in the county'of Westchester and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Sprocket-Wheels, of which the following is a specification. l

The present improvement is especially adapted to useinvelocipedes, but is not limited to the same, and, as distinguished from thedevices that have heretofore been made, it relates to the separation of the projections `or, pins from the chain during the time that the diameter of the wheel is being increased or decreased, in4 order that the chain may rest upon the smooth and concentric or nearly i concentric surface when the diameter is beor the pins held stationary While the segments are contracted tothe smallest diameter to allowthe pins to engage the chain, and according to my improvement the 'sprocketwheel may be constructed soas to have two,

three or more different eective diameters according to the position of the respective segments as they are contracted or expanded in relation to the axis of the sprocket wheel.. In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation with portions of the respective disks removed.

to show the parts that would otherwise b e behind suchn disks.- Fig. 2 is an elevation of the cam` disk. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross `section. Fig. 4 is an elevation. Fig. 5 is a cross section illustrating a moditication inthe arrangement of the disks. Fig. 6 is an external elevation of the parts in their modified form.

Fig. 7 shows the cam disk detached. Fig. 8

is a cross section representing the actuating lever and the parts adaptedto use with the, i cam disk shown in Fig. `'7.

Fig. 9 is a modification of the lever H. Fig. l0 is a partial plan of Fig. 6, and Fig. 11 is a detached view of a doublechain pin.

' Mhe shaftAr axle is either adapted to the I reception of cranks or pedals at the ends thereof. to form a driving shaft, or it may be l the shaft of the wheel of thevelocipede, as

the present improvements -are available for increasing the diameter of the sprocket wheel upon the pedal shaft or upon the wheel shaft, for both, `it being understood that ywhere the Y present invention is applied to both sprocket lwheels the effective diameter of the sprocket wheel upon the crank or pedalshaft is to be lessened and then the effective diameter of the sprocket wheel upon the wheel shaft-is to be increased to take u p the slack of the chain, or the'reverse, or in cases where the sprocket wheellwith the present improvements isonly applied either to the crank or pedal shaft or `are used upon other machines than a velocipede, the devices for adjusting the position of the shaft ror for simultaneously or successively acting upon the sprocket wheels are not ments are'described with reference to one sprocket wheel.

. Upon the shaft A is a hub B which isto be permanently fastened to such shaft in any suitable' manner, and `from this hub the disks C and D project, and the disk C and hub B herein described :in detaili but the improvemay be in one, and the disk D, which preferably is the inner disk, is made removable, the same being secured by boltsand nuts 2.

Between the two disks and preferably adjacent to the disk D is a cam disk E that can be partially rotated, and it is preferable to make an olset or shoulder around the outer end of the hub B over which the hole in the cam disk E sets, so that the cam disk is held` in its proper position by the shoulder but is free to be rotated.

The segments F are between the cam disk E and the front disk C and they are adapted to being moved radially, or toward and from Atheaxle A and with this object in View such segments may be guided in any desired man- 2, that if this disk E receives a partial rotation the cam slots 6 in said disk will f orce the:

segments F eitheroutwardly or inwardly according to the direction of rotation given to the cam disk E.

Each segment F is mortised radially or nearly so for the reception of a chain pin G which is free to be'moved endwise in the mortise and it is provided with a right ang-le pinr 7 which projects; below thev segment on may pass into the. notched innerI side ot the segment when the. pin Gis projectedl to` engagethe links of; the chain, and in theicam disk E a second set of slots 8 is provided into which-l` the pins 7` ofthe chai-n pins pass, and these slots-8 are notparallel tothe slots 6: but are shaped substantially as represented in-F-ig 2 in such a manner that when the,y segments E arenearest theshaft A the pins-4 and '7 are inthe concentric portions-of the slots Gan-d S andhence are-held firmly and can not be-moved either outwardly or1 inwardly except by thepartiah rotation ofythe cant disk E', and whenupon the pins ek to, move suchpins 4- andthe segments F outwardly while the. pins 7'` and th @bain pins Gr,v therewith con-nectedsti-ll.refV main in the concentric portion of theslot-s- S4 and after the, segment-SF lhave been moved. outwardlysufciently to. lit-t the`V chai-nv 0E' of the chai-n` pnsG, s othatsuch chain: only-bears upon the curved outersu-rfaces ofithe. segments F, then the segments F and pins G move uniformly `by theaction of the cam slots until vthevsegments F arrive at their extreme outward projections, and the pins 4 of such seginents arein the.k concentric portions of' the slots 6 and the further movement of the cam disk EA causes` the slots 8 to project the-chain pins G to cause them to engage the chainv which ypasses around the sprocket wheel.

, The chain itselfV isto-beof any-desired chanacter` and itsl position is illustrated b-y the. Vdottedulines, Fig. l, but-thesameisnot show-n in. full lines, to avoidy confusion.

Thedevice for giving-al partial.4 rotation tothe cam diskE maybeot any desiredecharae ter; I have however represented the pin.9 as

' projecting throughv theslot 10 inthe disk D,

which slot 10 is an arc of-a circle,yand the pin. 9 projectsbeyond the face of the disk Disufciently to be-acted upon by the slotted leverA H vvhiclriE is pivoted atll uponthe disk-Band it'occupiesV the position-shownbyfulll-inesin Figs. 1 and 4 when the segmentsFaredrawn- Vmeanest-to the-hub audit occupies the position represented by dotted linesjwhen the seg ments-F are projectedto. their outward or largerdiameter, and theslotted:` leverheld in either one of these positions by any suitable means;y I prefer to employ the angular springs 12 that are fastened to the disk D and are adapted to spring upinto the slot of p the lever H, but such springs are pressed back as the slotted lever is swung from one position to1 the other. j

It is advantageous to provide adevice that will act upon the slotted lever H While the ishaftA andthe parts connected therewith are in motion, and With this object inviewIprovide a lever I pivoted at 13 upon an arm ex- 1- tending from the frame of the machine vor from the tubular bearing J for the shaft A, and this lever I may be conveniently moved "by a rod K having a handle or other suitable appliance ina convenient position to be acted upon by the par-ty riding the bicycle. This rod K may be provided with any suitable means formov-ing` o r holdin-git.

The lever L isfork-ed1 ati-ts ylow-er end-and' t is provided with pins 114- that enterholes, in fthe sliding pinion- L, which. piniousurrounds and slides upon the? tubular bear-ing` J, and 1 when pressed toward thed-'iskl D the teethofy tjhe. sliding-pinion L engage the teet-hjl'that partially-surround the, hub or pivotof the slotted levenH, and Whenv the pinionhis slid away from the-teeth 1-5, the parts easilysep- .2arate, leaving the le acted. upon.

this, ca ,rn disk-E isrotated, the. slots 6.first act ver-H' to be otherwise At the upper-end of-y the leverv If there is a `-jgoi-nted section I pivot-ed at 16 andl provided Avwith a spring 1*-7 or equi-valent device tor hold'- -ingthe section in properalignment Withthe lgever I but permitting the section I to swing upon its pivot awayfrom the disk; D, and I around:- this disk Dis a rim-1 8 having afi-ange j at its exterior edge, and thisrilna-ndits. flange extend partiallyarou-ndthe disk D and one4 f endof the rim terminates adjacent-to`theslot ted-lever- H when in-one position, and=the other end may terminate adj-acentto the endof'the slot-ted: lever-H when-in' theot-her posit-ion, and the projection 19 at the endofthe section I, isy at such-a distance-from the axis of= the shaft A4 that-it wil-l pass-outside--of-the. rim 18, but if f pressed tow-ard the disk Dwhen the ange-of the rim is adjacentto-such projection- 1-9, the

toward the surface of the disk- Duntil said l Iiange 36- as it turns with the shaft A` clears the projection 19 and-such projection 19-then mayrub against the flat-*surface of the slotted :lever- H- that is below-thes-u rfaceoit-he flange- 36 as such lever H passes by but isnot-l caught by the projection 19, and thenthe-saidprojection 129 v-assumesthe-position shown i-n Fig.A 3 in the path-of the-'end offthelever H, and

still, the disk Das-it rotates carniesthe-pivot 11 ofthe lever Hi along beneath they-projection position shown by dottedlines,` andv in this iange 36v prevents thev projection 19 passing the f-u-ntlier-rotationx ofthe parts. brings the outer end of theslotted lever aga-inst the projection-19, and-this-projection-19 stand-ing l segment blocks F from their inner to their" wir movement the slotted lever H acts against thev pin 9 on the cam disk E, giving to the same the motion herein described and carrying the outer position -and then projecting the chain pins G- to cause them to engage the chain when the sprocket wheel has assumed its the projection 19, turning the `said lever H, -back to the position shown by the full lines before mentioned. y

Upon reference to Fig...5, it will be obf largest diameter.

In the movement before described itwill be understood that the spring 17 yields when the end of the projection 19 rests upon the llange of the rim'18 and causes the section I to spring backwardly toward the disk D as soon as the lever H has passed the end of the projection 19, and when the rod K is moved in the other directipn and the projection19v is to be withdrawnfrom behind the flange of the rim 18, the springl' may also yield until the projection 19 passes clear of thefflange of the rim18. When `the movement of the le` ver I takes place the pinion L is slipped along,l upon the tubular bearing J so. that its teeth engage the teeth'l-of the lever H, and this pinion L being held from rotating by the pins upon the lever I, gives vto the lever H arctation in theopposite direction to that givenby in Figs. 1 and 4; and it will be noticed that the teeth 15 upon the lever H separate from the teeth of the sliding pinion L assoon as thelever H has been restored to the position shownby full lines, and-in so doingthe seg` ments F have been drawn into form the sprocket wheel of the smallest diameter, as

served that in place of using-a single cam disk E, I have represented two cam ,disks E and E connected together by the tubular hub 20 which surrounds the hub B, andin this form'` the cam disks E and E"V are to be slotted precisely alike, and the segments F and Ef and into the radial slots in the disk D, 1

are to be providedvwith pins 4 at each side passing through the slots ofthe cam disks E and the disk C is also to be providedwith similar radial slots instead of employing the guide blocks 3,`and in this arrangement the chain pins G are provided with pins 7 that` cross over or project at each side in the form of a T, such pins passing through the slots in the cam disks E and Eand into the radial slots in the disks C and D, and in this modification the cam disks E and E will act directly ateach side of each segment F and at each -side of the chain pins to projector retractthe same uniformly and the risk ofthe parts sticking in their guides or slots will be reduced to a minimum. l

The before mentioned devicescan be made.

use of with the cam disk represented in Fig. 7, suchucam disks being adapted tomovin g and holding the segments and chain pins at the ezev treme outward or eXtreme inward positions and at an intermediate position; and it will be observed that the slots in the cam diskE?,

shown in Fig. 7, are concentricat their inner ends and at their outer ends, as before described and similar to those shown in Fig. 2, 7o

and there is an intermediate or` middle portion* to each slot that is `also concentric so thatthe movements of the segments and of the chain pins can be arrested midway between the extreme outer and inner positions when the cam disk E2 is properly rotated; it is therefore only necessary to so modify the action of the slotted lever Has to give to the cam disk E? the proper movement to arrest and hold the same in one of three positions insteadof `either of two positions,` 'and to effect this object the lever I, and the slotted `lever H are made 'in substantially the form indicated in Figs. G'and 8. The lever H has three teeth 21 that are of width, and when the leverIis moved to draw the pinion L entirely back it does not engage either ofthel sets of teeth2lor 23. `When the pinion Lispartially projected toward the disk Dits teeth only engage the full orlong teeth 21, and when the pinion L is fully moved toward thedisk D its `teeth engage 4 full width and threeteeth 23 that are of short the `short teeth 23 and also continue to act upon the teeth 21the object of this arrangement being that when the lever H is'turned so `as to stand radiallyand thereby to move the cam disk E? to bring the segments F to the,

middle position, such lever H` can remain inV Y the position indicated by the dotted lines 22,

ICO

Fig. 6, and be .held by the `friction stop24, 1 and in so doing the pinion L will have been partially moved toward thedisk D but it will not engage the teeth 23, but when moved fully toward the disk D, such pinion L will engage the teeth 23 and throw the vlever H back to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6',a`nd when the lever H is" thrown over into the position shown bythedotted lines 25, the teeth 21 will be engaged bya slight4 sliding movement of the pinion L so that the said lever Hf, will be thrown by the action of the pinion L back to the position shown by the dotted lines 22.

The mechanismwhichl find advantageous to make use of for causing the section I2 of the lever Ito properly act upon the slotted lever I-I is as follows: It will be observed that the outer end of the lever H5 isdiiferentfrom the outer end of the lever H, and there is an IIO lines 2 2, and the lever I and its'section Pmay i Fig. 8 and will cease to act as soon as the offset lug 26 separates from the hook end 2,7 and remain in the position indicatedby full lines.. i

the; parts can continue to rot-ate. If now thelever I andi the hookend 27 are swung so-'that the endf 2'7-L corn-es: close to th-eoutergsurface of F the disk Dfitsr end 2Z'isin the path' of they rear endf 28 of' the l'everfH" so that suchy rear end 28( comeszirm contact with the-hook end 277' and the lever is swung from the position shownby'dottedf lines 22 tothe position shown by the-` dotted 1in-es 25. rEhe rear end-28:l of the -lever H swinging inwardly clears the lower end ofthehook 27-` and the lever Hre'- mains in the` position of" the dotted lines V until otherwise actedv upon.

When the. lever I" and itsl sectionl-2 are.y in the. position! last spoken-of,l the.y pinion L-has beenslid outwardly and farthest away from `l the teeth 21 and 23, and-in ordertoturntheleverf H1 from the position 25`l to the= position.

22 iti is. necessa-r tomos/ie:l the leverl If and v 7 bring: the pinion L -intozcontactW-ith thefteeth: 2l, and? thesowill beacted upon` bythe-sta tionaryfpiniontll until the teet'l1`12ll separate fromf the pini-on Ib,..snc.hpi1nfiongL-,at thattim-ep being.- iir the position shown by fnlll lines. in;

Fig: 8; Lf now the lever I' isacted upon-,sol

asy to push thepinionfl closely towardtle disk Dgvt-hen` the teeth off the pinion engage'- the'shorteri-teethf23`andft-urn the lever'Hback: intofthe.`- position indicated byfthe full lines rin- Eig; 6. the lever lis moved-"from:one

' extreme position toa the; otherv extreme;vv posi?. 1 tion the segmentsand" theilrf chairrpinswillE be V movedfromthef-extreme' outward-tothe most inward.p.ositions;or the reverse; ortll-ersegl ments-may be` stopped at the intermediateposition when moving either way.

pand thes-procket wheelto-theff-ulldiameter: orcontract it to' the smallest diameter ortomaintain the segments` ofv they sprocket wheel?v at'` an, intermediate position` so as to obtain three workingdiameters offthe sprocket wheel.

It will; benoticed by they dotted? lines Fig; 4, thatfasthelever is'swlungfrom one po-`v sitionftothe'fother its outer end extends con sidierablyA beyondl the periphery of the: disk .D. It' this is objectionable in any particu-- larcharacter of vcloci'pedea` the difficulty can be overcome by. making the; lejverfHi'n two parts, .as indicated? inL Fig. ggrwherein'f theout-er Section H-zlis. made tol slide inwardly andi it may` bel drawn in by the-pin 33' acting at the;inner-endlof4 theslot in the extension H2; andtheu ezt-tensioniHfiisv moved'L outwardly' bythe pinr-actingfat the otherl end ofY the slot:l when.; thelev-.er is turned? into theposif-A tion indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 9; but

f riedv in and out asV the leverA H is swung' from one-position tol the other:

4'.l-he-.slotsin the camu disk Emay be varied inlshape so asto give the desired movements f-to the respective parts, and if desired the slots 6'for thezpi-ns 4 maybe at an` ifnciination instead" of radiali.

ft'o maket-he en'dI 27' ot" the leverextension I2, Fig. 8; to sli'defradialzlyand tobevel" the; lower end and to bevel the surface 36' ofthe flange 185 as shown' in Fig; 8; and* toemploya spring E to' press `the end 27. downwardly,l theobject Ebeing toallowi the leverfl to be promptly moved bya down-ward pressure of tlierod K, g? and in so doifn'gjtoforce tli'epinion L toward the disk Dto cause: suichpifnionr L to: turn` the lever orf Hzback and tjobrifngthe* segm en-t i F towardf the shaft". En" the form' s lovrf-n'v in ijFig; 81 thel bevelfend of'L the piece 27: slides overtlhe bevel of thefange to: allowofv the 'ff movement of said: pinion;v but. tihelat'i faces g of'theflange 36 andi of" tlie;end' 2T will preven-t the;movementof'lzexcept between the Fends-"o'the flangeA 36.. l If desiredgrthechain-pinslmaybefmade with F double pointsgasv seen' in' the''f fd'et-"a'chedf` View Iffl desired;` springsi with. recessesl may be 1usedlas-seen at 381mg. 9; forvv catching the pin 3lv and holding? itand the slotted' liever H j in the extremes' ofthe: movements;-

` I'v claimas my'i'nventionfi 1-. Theicombinationin asprocketwheeltotv s'egments and cha-in pins slidingjthroughthesegments, meansfor acting-upon the-segments tomovetlhem farther awayorjnearerto the thechain pins so'that'theii' outer'ends are in f line; or-nearlyiso. withthef exteribrsurf'aces of A the segments. atv the-"time` the: segments are "i moved outwardly ori inward'ly,\` substantially Fais' set forth.

f 2;, The; combination ini a: sprocket wheel, of disks and", af connecting hub,` segments. between theidisks, chain pinsy passing through i;moving'them,forjengaging the chain-:or for separating; the pi'nsfrom thechain, substantially as set forth.

disks andaconnectingjhnl); Segments between throngh the segments and" having laterally projectingv pins, a disk with slotsl foracti'ngy :fupon the respective pins'tomovethem out- Under some circumstances it' is preferable amis of the WheeLandtmeansfor acting'upon `thedi'sks, pinslprojecting from the segments an'd guides upon the' disks, chain pins'passin'g' Fig11`1instead of with single points as: in

the segments; cams for' acting'- upon thesegv jments to move them outwardly or: inwardlyk -and: camsforacting upon the. chain pins foru I I5' l 3. The-combination'in avrv sprocket whe-eh of*`I Ff ward-1y orrinwardly, and"- means for giving to Ethe-cam-disk akk partial rotation5 substantially f as set forth.

4; The combination in-a sprocket wheel, of' disks and aconnecting hub, segments between the disks, pins projecting from the segments and guides upon the disks, chain pins passing through the segments and having laterally projecting pins, a disk with slots for acting upon the respective pins to move them outwardly or inwardly, a lever pivoted upon'the `upon the respective pins to move them outl Wardly or inwardly, a slotted lever and teeth projecting around its pivot,a sliding a pinion and a lever I to act upon the pinion to cause it to engage with or disengage from the teeth of the lever, and a projection to act against the outer end of the slotted lever to move it in one direction, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a sprocket wheel, of disks and a connecting hub, segments between the disks, pins projecting from the segments and guides upon the disks, chain pins passing through the segments and having laterally projecting pins, a disk with slots for acting upon the respectivepins to move them outwardly or inwardly, a slotted lever and teeth projecting around its pivot, a sliding pinion and a lever I to act upon the pinion to cause it to engage with or disengage from the teeth of the lever, a projection to act against the outer end of the slotted lever to move it in one direction, and a rim around the disk interrupted adjacent to the slotted lever for acting upon the projection of the lever I,sub stantially as set forth.

7. The combination in a sprocket wheel, of

disks and a connecting hub, segments between the disks, pins projecting from the segments and guides upon the disks, chain pins .passing through the segments and having laterally projecting pins, a disk with slots with concentric end portions `and intermediate inclined portions for acting uponthe respective pins to move them outwardly or'inwardly,

and means for giving to the cam disk a partial rotation, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination in a sprocket wheel, of disks and a connecting hub, segments between the disks, pins projecting from the segments and guides upon the disks, chain pins passing through the segments and havinglat# erally projecting pins, a disk with slots with concentric end and middle portions and intermediate inclined portions for acting upon the respective pins to move them outwardly or inwardly, and means for giving to the cam `disk a partial rotation, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination in a sprocket wheel, of a series of segments and means for support ing and moving them nearer to or farther from the axis, and chain pins andl means for separately moving the same for engaging the chain after the segments have been expanded or the reverse,\substantially as set forth."

10. The combination in a sprocket wheel, of a series of segments upon which the chain rests, means for moving them nearer to or farther from the center of the wheel and separate chain pinsn or devices for engaging the chain, and means for moving such chainpins into engagement after the segments have been projected and for withdrawing such chain pins before the segments are retracted, substantially as set forth.

l1. The combination in a sprocket wheel, of a series of segments and chain pins, a slotted disk for guiding the segments asthey are projected or retracted, a disk with cam slots for acting upon such segments and a lever and means for actuating the same for turning the cam disk, a lever with a projection for engaging the intermediate lever that acts upon the cam disk to move the same in one direction, a sliding pinion and teeth projecting around the pivot of the disk for giving motion to the same in the opposite direction, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 23d day of November,

WILLIAM A. LEGGO, JR. Witnesses: a t

GEO. T. PINCKNEY,

j A. M. OLIVER. 

